Outrights:
Colin Montgomerie(50/1) e.w.
- - I'm screwed already . . . On Sunday night I was fairly certain this was my headline play for either event this week, and I've just been saying to myself since, "Please don't pair him with Tiger." . . . On view last week: (1) It was hard not to notice a few instances of Monty playing different shots with his irons - and doing it fairly well and with a little style - rather than his distinctive looking one swing fits all play; (2) His short game touch was sharp and confident from a fair array of different circumstances (FWIW from last week, 3rd in scrambling stats and 34th in putting); (3) I don't suspect he holed a lot of putts, but he was consistently getting the ball to the hole with good pace rather than consistently coming up tentative; and (4) His driving was where it needs to be . . . I already knew Mrs. Doubtfire had cast himself as on a serious mission to move up into the Top 50 for the big events, and sow some early seeds for the Ryder Cup conversations, and there's a lot at stake this week whether he's lying 2nd or 22nd . . . Unfortunately: (1) My catechism tells me that seeing Tiger up close holing the putts you need to hole the way he does is not likely to cause the hole to look exceptionally inviting to a frustrated victim like Monty as he's sizing up his job; and (2) Whether Monty plays brilliant, solid or frustratingly over the first 36 holes, playing on the main stage with Tiger is frought mainly with elements that suggest a sapping day at the office, and I readily compare Monty's task to the situation during the 1990's when a 40-something Tom Watson would put his name on the leaderboard early in U.S. Opens at Baltusrol and Oakmont and British Opens at Turnberry - by late Saturday and early Sunday, too many of the bullets have been spent.
Lee Westwood(16/1) e.w.
- - Last Thursday I was prepared to bet him across the board in all 4 majors, but I was very disappointed in his prices given the price on Woods, so I bothered with none of it, not even a single buck . . . Still very interested to see how large his season plays out.
Richard Finch(125/1) e.w.
- - I expect something commendable, will just have to see how far that takes us.
Ross Fisher(80/1) e.w.
- - A storyline with lots of spines from last year. How's that working out for you this year? We'll see.
Matchups:
Montgomerie(-110) over Fasth (Tournament)
GL
